Cable clamp



AAAAAAAA MP Filed Apri l 2 5 l 9 27 J4 Vm of, I lg Patented Nov. 276,19129 CLIFFORD S. THOMAS, OF GORI-IAM, MAI-NE CABLE CLAMP Applicationfiled April 25,

This invention relates generally to a securing or clamping means forpositioning a cable, and relates more particularly to a means forclamping a cable having a groove in the periphery thereof such, forexample, as a cable used in the electrical art and therein commonlyreferred to as B. X. This is an armored cable having a spiral groove inthe surface thereof, and, for brevity, this cable will be referred to asillustrating the conveniences and advantages of the present invention.

'Certain type of clamps heretofore employed for cables of the above typehave not been entirely satisfactory because it was necessary to use aplurality of screws or other fastenings to secure the clamp in positionover the cable. It was somewhat diiiicult to hold the clamp in properposition relative to the cable while the fastening member was beinginserted and the cable, slipping freely through the clamp, made itdifficult to prevent slack places between clamps.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved clamp thatwill securely hold a cable of the grooved type 1n proper positionagainst longitudinal displacement.

A further object is to provide an improved clamp for an armored cable ofthe grooved type in which a member of a staple type is provided.

A further object is to provide a clamping means for a grooved armoredcable com- 3.5 prising a guard member having a depressed grooved portionadapted to lit Within the groove of the cable when in clamping position,a staple being also provided to cooperate with the guard, .the prongs ofsaid .40 staple being spaced a sufficient distance and being of such a`length as topermit the cable, when the staple is partially driven m asupport, to be freely drawn through the legs of the staple While theguard or clamping portion is held in the closed portion of the staple.

One selected embodiment of my invention, for purposes of illustration,has been shown in the accompanying drawings and 5 described in thefollowing specification.

1927. Serial N0. 186,346'.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view showing the cap body portion of the clamp inflattened position.

Fig. 2 is a View, partly in section, showing the relative arrangement ofthe parts when the staple is driven all the way in and the clamp issecurely holding the armored cable in position.

Fig. 3 is a section taken transversely of the cable of Fig. 2.

Fig. l is a top plan view of Fig. 2.

Fig 5 is a view showing the relative positions of the parts when thestaple is partially driven into a support temporarily and shows the capbody portion of a clamp spaced from the cable so that the armored cableis free to be drawn between the legs of the staple.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the mannerin which a length of cable may besecured to a support, and shows a number of the cable clamps temporarilypositioned to permit the sagging cable to be drawn freely through thelegs of the temporarily positioned staple in order to take up the slackin the cable. p

Fig. 7 isa developed plan of a modified form of a cap body portion ofthe clamp, showing a recess of limited length adapted to Vengage onlyone side of the armored cable.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section through the cable showing the relative position ofthe various parts of the modified form, and showing particularly thatthe side portion of the cap body portion of the clamp is spaced from thecable, the clamp engaging only one side of the cable to preventmovement.

Fig. 10 is a view of the clamp with the apertured bent ends, omitted.

As shown, the clamping means comprise in general Ouard or cap 1 adaptedto span or fit over the armored cable 2, and a staple 3, preferably 1Ushaped.

The cap and guard 1 is provided with a depressed or grooved portion L1kextending longitudinally of the cap between the sides thereof, saidgrooved portion being adapted to fit within the groove 5 of the cablewhen the staple and cap are brought into securing position on the cable.

The grooved portion 4.- of the cap is disposed diagonally in order tofollow the trend of the helical groove of the cable armor. The cap orguard 1 is bent to conform to the cylindrical or tubular shape of thecable. The

.ends 6 and 7 of the cap are preferably bent outwardly and are aperturedas at 8, adapted to receive prongs 9 and 10 of the staple. If desired,the apertured outwardly bent-ends may be dispensed with for purposes ofeconomy in manufacture; the clamp would then appear as shown in Fig. l0.

The head or arched portion Il of the staple lies within the grooved ordepressed portion of'the'cap l when the staple is driven into thesupport the full distance permitted by 'thelength ofthe prongs 9 andlO.rIhe aperltures 'in 'bent end portions of the cap are so -placed as 'toseparate the prongs'of the staple'a suiicient distance to permit the`drawn'through'the `prongs of the staple in lthe partially drivenposition. In order to permit the drawing of the cable between the prongsof the staple, it will, of course, be necessary for vthe cap portion tobe moved to a position in which the depressed groove 4 does not engagethe groove of the cable. It may be desirable to utilize -the abovefeature, where it is necessary to temporarily secure along run of cablein position and, at

'-a flater time, to take up any slack portion of the ycable when-it isdesired to permanently 1 secure the cable in position.

A modified form of clamp is shown in Figs.

7,8, and'9. In the modified form, the diagonally disposed recess orgroove 4 is of limitedlength `and is adapted to engage only one side ofythe cable. The side portions of the cap body portion ofthe clamp arenot vprovided with the .groove or recess portion so that V.the cable isfree to be withdrawn betweenthe legs of the staple and side portions ofthe cap when the cap is moved a vdistance suiicient to remove thedepressed portion 4 from the groove of the cable.

'As shown in Fig. Y5, in order to permit the cable to be drawn throughthe legs of the staple,ethe clamp is-moved substantially free of the capbecause in this construction, the

.grooved portion 4 of the cap extends along '.the vside Vportions Aofthe cap.

.As shown* in Fig. 7, the apertures 8 in the `c'ap,-adja"ce'nt theendsthereof for .receiving the legs of the prong, are closed asdistinguished from the slotted form shown in Fig. l. One advantage ofthe closed type of aperture for receiving the legs of the prong is thatit serves to hold the side portions of the body cap portion in properspaced relation.

IVhile-one preferred form ofthe invention has been shown, variouschangesand-modificationsmay be made by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A Afastening forzan armored cable having a spiral surface grooving,comprisinga staple member and a bowed guard meniberhaving a ribextending throughout'theconnecting andlegv portions of thebowedvgu'ard,and the rib'being disposed with the convex-side of the ribinward'and its coi'icavedsideout- '1l ward so as to receive the staplewhen disposed over ythe guard, said yrib serving as a guide Ifor prongsof the staple-preventingrelative lateral movement betweenfthe guardandthe sdaple,independent of other means, the rib in the bowed portionof the guardcooperating with the grooved cable to prevent relativelongitudinal movement vbetween 'the guard and cable While thestaple isbeing driven to'final fixed position.

In testimony whereof VI ailix Amy signa-l ture.

CLIFFORD S. THOMAS.

IBO

